The Switch
by starsofcrystal
Summary: Haruka Akiyama would do anything for his twin sister... including the outrageous act of switching places with her. All of a sudden, he's tasked with turning himself into a woman every morning and attending classes at the elite Ouran Academy. What happens when he literally runs into another identical twin? And why won't that twin just leave him alone? *BEING REWRITTEN BY SNODIN!*
1. Prologue

**Welcome, to my new Ouran High School Host Club fanfic! This, as the chapter title indicates, is the prologue. Please R &R so that I can see if I should continue publishing chapters. Beware of my brain, she can be horribly rude and blunt sometimes. Plus, she's no fun whatsoever.**

' **You're the one to talk. What kind of introduction was that, anyways? I'm the one who came up with the idea for this story!'**

 **See what I mean?! God, I hate living with her. Please don't let our feud affect you. Just enjoy the story!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own OHSHC. *sobs***

 **Warnings: None.**

* * *

I stood in front of the full-length mirror and stared at my reflection. A reflection that wore a hideous yellow dress, might I add. My dark chocolate brown hair hung past my shoulder blades in light waves, framing my makeup-covered face. Mascara lengthened my already long eyelashes, accentuating my murky sea green eyes. The dress clung to my naturally narrow frame and showed off my new bosom.

 _Oh_ hell _no._

I should've said no to my sister, who came back from a single week at the overly posh school for rich brats, Ouran Academy, in tears. That school was no place for "mere commoners," as the other girls at the school stated. You'd think a genius like my sister could handle some simple bullies, but she's surprisingly soft and childish, making her an easy target. Everyone except bullies ignored her, as if she was invisible. She begged me to switch places with her, and I couldn't say no to her puppy-dog eyes, even if they were the same as mine.

Yeah, being a twin was hard. We were always mistaken for each other when we were younger. Of course, that was before my brother announced to the family that he would become my sister. I had seen this coming and I was the first she told, naturally. My parents were completely accepting and open about the whole ordeal, which was unsurprising. They had always been that way, encouraging us to be ourselves and not conform. You could say I had an awesome, carefree family that everyone dreams of, but that's why I was in this situation in the first place. Our parents agreed to start saving up for hormones and a gender reassignment surgery, and that required a lot of money, so my sister needed to get scholarships for free education and living. Ouran was her top pick, of course, even though it was far away and she would be forced to live in the dormitories. If you could call the ambassador suite styled rooms "dorms." You didn't have communal bathrooms. You didn't even have a roommate! Unconsciously, I began chewing on my lower lip as I tried to sort all the thoughts swarming through my head.

"STOP!"

I yelped in surprise, whirling around to face the source of the voice.

"Mari-chan, please don't screech like that," I huffed in annoyance, scratching my hot and itchy wig.

"Well then don't chew on your lip and mess up the makeup and all the hard work I put into making you look like me! And stop screwing with the hair," she snapped, slapping my hand away from where I was scratching my head.

"Yeah, it must've been really hard making me look like you, since we're totally not identical twins or anything," I said sarcastically. She stiffened up at that comment. _Ah, crap. I went too far on that one._ My voice softened. "Sorry, Mari-chan. What's wrong? You're acting weird."

"I'm just… worried," she murmured.

"About what?"

"Everything. You going to Ouran instead of me while I start online school and how much I'm gonna miss you," she sniffed.

I enveloped my sister in a hug. "Hey there, don't cry. I'll try to see you every weekend, okay? You can always call me, too."

"I know, but… you're my other half, y'know? In the week I was gone I missed you so much that it hurt. Now I feel guilty about making you swap places with me. Are… are you sure about this?"

I hugged her tighter. "Anything for my Mari-chan."

After a minute or so, we separated and she rubbed her tears away, slapping the brightest smile she could on her face. "Remember to follow the makeup guide, okay? And if those girls try to bully you, stand up to them for me."

"You know I will, lil' sis." She punched me lightly in the arm. "Only by a couple of minutes!"

My mom walked in at that moment. "Are you all ready? The train will leave in 30 minutes, so let's go." I nodded and grabbed my backpack and duffel bag while my sister grabbed the handle of my large rolling suitcase. I noticed how unsure Mari looked, so I snatched her free hand in mine and squeezed it reassuringly. "It'll be okay, Mari-chan. I love you." She smiled and squeezed my hand back. "I love you, too, Haruka-chan."

* * *

 **Aw, aren't they adorable?!**

'… **I guess so.'**

 **See, even my brain agrees! Twins are just the cutest! I wish I was this close with my brother (I'm not a twin, sadly). Chapters will be out just about every Friday. I'll be away on vacation next week, leaving you guys plenty of time to R &R and tell me if I should continue this or not. Thank you so much!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hellooo~! Because of all the positive feedback I've gotten, this story is officially a go! I had fun on my vacation in Arizona, even though it was brutally hot.**

' **Nobody asked you how your vacation was and nobody cares.'**

 **Aw, you're just making me depressed… here's chapter 1, I guess *sulks in corner*.**

 **Warnings: None**

* * *

Of course, with my bad luck, I woke up late on the first day of school. I had to wake up early every day to make my transformation from Haruka to Mari. It took me a full 10 minutes to put my bra on and the silicone boobs into the cups. I get how hard it is now for women to get ready every day, even if they don't use fake boobs. After putting on my makeup, I quickly pulled my wig on and raced out the door. I skidded to a stop at the now almost empty dining hall and grabbed a piece of toast from a plate that a student must've left behind, not caring who saw. I was hungry! I took off again, checking the map of the school that I had on my phone.

 _This place is friggen' huge! Wait, is that…?_ I narrowed my eyes. _It is!_ _There's a fucking_ maze _in the gardens of this already maze-like school. These rich bastards, I swear…_

I was so focused on my phone that I didn't notice the person in front of me until I collided into them, my phone, notebook, and pencil case flying out of my hands and a large bite of toast lodging in my throat. I collapsed on my hands and knees; one hand clawing at my neck as I violently coughed and hacked, trying to dislodge the toast. _I can't… breathe!_

"Whoa! Hey, hold on!" Mystery person said, panicked. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me, pulling me up. I was confused until he pushed in and then up, hard, on my abdomen. _He's doing the Heimlich maneuver!_ I realized as he thrust his hands upwards again. One more thrust and the piece of toast went flying out of my mouth as I took in large gulps of sweet, sweet air.

"Are you okay?"

I turned around to face my rescuer and my eyes widened at his appearance. Tall and thin, with pale skin, chiseled features, orange hair, and hazel, cat-like eyes that looked almost golden. There was no way he wasn't a model, or the son of one. A pang a jealousy ran through me as I stared at his Adonis-like body.

"Hellooo? Anyone in there?" He asked, waving his hand in front of me and snapping me out of my reverie. "Oh! I, um…" my face flushed bright red in embarrassment as I tried to control my nervous stuttering.

 _Say thank you, you dumbass!_ I squeezed my eyes shut and bowed low in front of the person. "Th-thank you very much!" I squeaked out.

The ginger smiled and lifted my chin up, forcing me to stand up straight. His hazel eyes raked over my body, and I flushed an even deeper shade of red.

"You should be more careful. It'd be a shame if such a beautiful girl like you were hurt," he chastised, and I slapped his hand away and crossed my arms.

"Yeah, well, you shouldn't stare at a lady like that," I huffed, still blushing.

He chuckled and I couldn't help but be mesmerized by his sweet, slightly rough laugh. "I don't think we've ever talked before. You sit in front of me, right?"

"Uh, yeah," I said, unsure if I did or not.

"I'm Kaoru Hitachiin. You're… Miwa Akiyama, right? The scholarship student?"

"Mari," I corrected him, slightly annoyed. "Yes, I'm the scholarship student."

I bent down to pick up my things, but before I could, Kaoru swept everything up and handed them to me. "Oh, thank you," I said, surprised at his kind actions. _Aren't rich people supposed to be assholes?_

The final bell rang and I leaped up, shocked. "Shit!"

"That's quite the dirty mouth you have there, for a lady."

"Oh, shut up!" I hissed. "I'm late!"

"Relax! You're standing right in front of our classroom!"

I looked up to see the sign with 'classroom 1-A' printed on it and blushed again. _Why am I blushing so much?!_

"Let's go in before the teacher marks us as tardy." I nodded and followed Kaoru into the classroom for my first lesson of the day, world history and geography.

~0x0x0x~

I stared, bored, out of the window and doodled aimlessly in the margins of my notebook. _When will Whatever-his-name-was-sensei_ _shut up?_ I thought, annoyed. The teacher's voice droned on in the background and I sighed, slouching further down. I glanced over to my twin and saw him playing on his Nintendo 3DS, just as bored as I was. Hell, even the teacher looked asleep. I closed my eyes and tried to doze off, but an annoying scratching sound prevented me from doing so. Opening one eye, I looked for the source of this horrible noise. It was Mari-san, the girl who sat in front of me, furiously scribbling away in her notebook with a concentrated, almost scary look on her face. At the same time, it was kind of cute how her brow was crinkled and the tip of her pink tongue stuck out of her mouth. I shook these thoughts out of my head.

 _What the hell? What's going on with me?_

My own forehead crinkled up as I mulled over the situation.

 _I need to know more about her. But how can I become her friend?_

Light bulb.

 _Invite her to the Host Club, of course!_ I grinned at my own genius.

Suddenly, my phone lit up silently, indicating that I got a text. I entered my passcode and checked my messages.

'bro, u have this smile on ur face. r u planning something? it's kinda creepy.'

I glanced over at Hikaru, who was staring at me, confused. I quickly tapped out a response to my brother.

'Yeah, I'm planning something. Let's just say we might be getting a new visitor at the club. ;)'

Hikaru received and read the text, then smiled widely.

'i'm up for whatever.'

~0x0x0x~

As soon as the bell rang, I was out of the door. Wearing that getup all day was incredibly uncomfortable and I couldn't wait to rip it all off and take a shower. I heard a familiar voice call out for someone, but I assumed it wasn't for me. Why would a guy like him want to hang out with someone like me, anyways? I was walking swiftly down the hallway when the same voice called out again.

"Mari-san! Hey, wait up!"

I realized that he was calling me. _Shit. I still haven't gotten used to being called by my sister's name._

I stopped in my tracks and spun around to see Kaoru running towards me.

"Jeez, you're fast," said a slightly out of breath Kaoru.

I smiled and shrugged. "What can I say? I was in the track and field club in middle school."

His eyes widened. "You don't strike me as the athletic type. You're very clumsy."

I scowled. "I'm not always like that, jerk. Why'd you stop me, anyways?"

"I was wondering if you'd maybe want to check out a club," he said, grinning. I narrowed my eyes. _I don't trust that smile._ "What kind of club?"

"A host club."

"Absolutely not." I spun back around and marched away.

Right into Kaoru again.

"Jeez, Kaoru-kun! Can't you take no for an answer? I don't want to go to a host cl-"

"I'm not Kaoru."

I looked up at a person who looked most definitely like Kaoru. Exactly like him, actually. My eyes widened as I realized what this meant.

 _Twins._

* * *

 **Well, what did you guys think?! I'm in love with this story and it's so hard not to give out spoilers. Could you R &R? Pretty please with a cherry on top?**

' **You're gonna ask that every chapter, aren't you? God, that's gonna get annoying as hell. And what's with trying to act cute and quirky? I know that you're actually super weird and a total-'**

 ***Slaps hand over brain's mouth* AHAHAHA what are you talking about?! J-just ignore her, guys! Anyways, look forward to next Friday's chapter! Thank you and bye!**


	3. Chapter 2

**And here ya go! Chapter 2! I'm running out of creative things to say here, but it's okay. Um, I forgot to tell you guys that I don't announce POV changes, because I believe you're all smart enough to know when it switches. School starts really soon for me again. NOOOOOO! Anyways, Haruka meets the Host Club today! I wish I was him right now ;-;.**

 **Warnings: None**

* * *

Somehow, they managed to drag me to the stupid host club, but not without me putting up a fight. Unfortunately, it was two against one, so I lost. To be honest though, there was no clear reason to not go to the host club, other than the catching up I had to do on my studies. Plus, a room full of men?! I was not gay, I was asexual.

"Here we are!" Said one of the twins.

"Are you ready?" Asked another.

"No," I grumbled.

"Okay!" They said simultaneously, flinging open the door.

"Welcome to the Host Club!"

A blinding light shone and blood red rose petals swirled out of the room. I stumbled backwards, rubbing my eyes and trying to blink the sun spots away.

A twin caught me before I could fall on my ass. "Be careful! Don't want you hurting yourself now, do we?"

I barely heard this sentence because I was busy staring at what lay before me.

Five incredibly gorgeous guys with welcoming smiles sat and stood around the plush couch in front of me. There was a blond one, with intense blue-violet eyes and a princely aura, a raven-haired one with glinting round glasses and a black notebook, a sweet, brown-haired one with huge, doe-like eyes, a short, an unbelievably cute one with a pink, flowery aura and a big stuffed bunny, and a tall, muscular one with a blank look on his face.

And they were all single handedly the most beautiful people I had ever seen.

"Uh, Hikaru, Kaoru, what did you do to this poor girl?" The brown-haired boy questioned, evidently suspicious of the twins.

"Nothing, really. We just dragged her here," they answered.

In a flash, the prince of the group was kneeling at my feet and holding my hands in his. "Princess, you need not to be afraid. I can promise you not all of us here are devilish barbarians," he said, looking up at me with those blue-violet eyes.

I pulled my hands out of his and scurried backwards, into one of the twins again. Whichever one he was, he put his hands protectively on my shoulders and steadied me.

"Ah, Mari Akiyama, the scholarship student. I had forgotten Ouran accepted another one," said the somehow evil-looking bespectacled man as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"What? So this is the new commoner?" Asked the prince, wide-eyed. "We welcome you, poor girl, to our world of beauty!"

I wiggled myself out of the twin's grip and walked to the door. "I'm outta here."

"I'm getting major déjà vu here," muttered brown-haired boy.

"Hey, Mari-chan, don't leave yet! Eat some cake with me!" The cute boy cried, clinging onto my arm.

"I don't want any ca-" my voice died in my throat when I saw his watery, pleading eyes that looked so much like my sister's puppy dog ones. I felt a sudden wave of sadness as images of Mari flashed through my mind.

"M-Mari-chan?!" The bewildered loli boy questioned.

"Yeah. I'll have some cake," I hiccupped, rubbing my eyes. Who knew that after only a day without my sister could make me like that. It killed me to think about how I would feel after a week without her.

"R-really?"

"Why not?" I said, mustering up a smile for the poor boy's sake.

He grinned and grabbed pulled me towards a dessert-covered table while the tall man followed us silently.

~0x0x0x~

I was itching to ask what Mari's breakdown was all about, but the other hosts hogged her until the end of the club period. I managed to catch up to her as she walked out of the room.

"Mari-san."

"Yes? What is it now?"

"What was all the crying about earlier?"

She stiffened and looked down, rubbing her arm. I could see she was embarrassed about breaking down earlier, so I decided to quell my curiosity and not push it further.

"My sister. I left her to stay here. I've only been here for a d- week, and I already miss her." I turned to look at her, surprised she had responded.

"You two must be very close. I know how it's like."

"I'm a twin, too."

I stopped walking, shocked. "Really?"

She gave me a dirty look. "Why would I lie? I'm an identical twin."

"What's her name?"

"Haruka."

"What're the odds, huh?"

Mari simply shrugged. After another couple minutes in a slightly awkward silence, I decided to bring up the topic that I had been thinking about the entire time she was at the club.

"Do you want to come to the Host Club again? Maybe hang out with my brother and me."

She just shrugged again. "Why not."

"I'll see you tomorrow then," I said casually, but secretly I was excited to see her again. _Look at me, getting all excited over a girl. I shouldn't let myself think of her like that. For all I know, she's just another bitch who'll take my brother if I'm not available._ With that thought, I departed from Mari.

* * *

 **Oh crap. No, Kaoru! You got it wrong :(. Too bad he can't hear us…**

' **Of course he can't. He's a fictional character.'**

 **And look who's back to ruin the party! Well, whatever. Please R &R and be patient for next week's chapter ^_^.**


	4. Chapter 3

**I have officially started school again. Although I'm happy to see my friends again, I'm already stressed out and a little overwhelmed ;-;. I AM SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE YESTERDAY! I will try my very best to keep uploads regular. Anyways, enjoy chapter 3!**

 **Warnings: None**

* * *

"HAAAARUUUUUKAAAAA!" I heard my sister cry. I looked around the busy station in an attempt to find where she was, when an incredibly strong force blindsided me, causing me to fall over. I opened my eyes to see Mari hovering over me with the biggest, goofiest grin on her face.

"Jeez, what are you, a dog or something?"

Mari put on a pouty face. "You meanie. Don't be rude!" She said as we stood up and brushed off our clothes.

I laughed as we fell back into our old pattern.

"I missed you so much, Haruka!"

"I missed you, too. How's online school working out for you?"

"Oh, it's super easy. But, I'm a genius, so no wonder."

"Don't get cocky! Ouran's a bitch. It's like I'm in college!" I moaned.

"Oooh! Let me help! Pretty please?" Mari begged.

"Be my guest," I chuckled.

"Haruka!"

I turned to see my mom and dad coming towards me.

"Mom! Dad!" I called out and they pulled me into an embrace.

"Oh, Haruka! We've missed you so much!" My mom cried as she squeezed the life out of me. "We're going out for dinner tonight and you are going to tell us everything."

~0x0x0x~

After being grilled by my parents about my week at Ouran, I collapsed on my bed and groaned, flinging my arm over my face.

Just to have my sister remove it.

"Okay, tell me what else happened."

"I already told you!"

She smirked, hands on her hips. "I'm your twin. I know you and I know when you're keeping something from me."

I groaned again. "Do I have to tell you everything?"

Mari sat back, a hurt expression on her face. "No. I'm sorry for prying," she muttered.

"Mari-chan…"

"No, it's okay. You don't need tell me. It's none of my business, anyways."

"I met someone," I sighed.

She was on me in a flash.

"Who?! What's her name? Are you gonna confess?!"

"I-It's not like that at all! He's just a f-friend," I snapped, my face beet red.

"He's?! _He's?!_ IT'S A BOY!" She squealed.

"Don't be so loud! Yeah, it's a boy. So what?" I growled, annoyed.

"I told you that you should explore your sexuality more before saying that you're asexual!"

"I don't have a crush on him. More like, I'm jealous of his good looks. But I'm afraid that he might get a crush on me, and that would be huge problem. After all, he thinks I'm you, and that I'm a girl," I said, sadder than intentioned.

"Right," Mari said softly. "Well, it's great that you're making new friends!" She said, brightening a bit.

"Yeah. I met six other people, too."

"Already?! What're their names?"

"Uh…" I wasn't sure how my sister would react when she heard that I was friends with the Host Club. I was pretty sure that she knew what it was, and that she thought that the hosts were hot, no doubt.

I sighed and braced myself for her reaction. "Haruhi Fujioka, Tamaki Suoh, Kyoya Ootori, Takashi Morinozuka, Mitsukuni Haninozuka, and Hikaru Hitachiin."

My sister stood silently before me, her mouth hanging wide open.

"The Host Club," she whispered, awestruck. Finally, she snapped back to usual self.

"YOU'RE FRIENDS WITH THE SIX HOTTEST GUYS IN THE ENTIRE ACADAMY!? NO WAY!"

"Kids! Volume!" My dad called through the door.

"Sorry, daddy!" My sister replied sweetly before turning her attention back to me.

"There are _seven_ hosts. And the only one you didn't mention was Kaoru Hitachiin," she hissed lowly.

"Uh, he's the guy I mentioned earlier."

"So Kaoru's the one you have a crush on?"

"I do _not_ have a crush on Kaoru!" I snapped, exasperated. "He just… saved my life on the first day of school, and he's been clinging to me ever since."

"Kaoru Hitachiin _saved your life?!_ "

"Well, I slammed into him in the hallway while I had a piece of toast in my mouth. I was late," I explained when Mari gave me an odd look. "I inhaled a big chunk of bread and he used the Heimlich maneuver on me. That same day, they brought me to the Host Club."

"They?"

"He and his brother tag teamed me."

Mari nodded, understanding. "They're like that."

"So you've visited the club?"

She nodded again. "I was just invisible to them though, like I usually am. I guess they didn't even remember me being there."

"You're not invisible to me. Plus, Haruhi remembered you."

"Yeah, she would be the one who would remember me out of all them. She's kind, albeit a little blunt at times."

"You realized that she's a girl, too?"

"Duh," she said, rolling her eyes, "although I don't know why she's in the Host Club." She let out a small gasp, the one she did every time she had a brilliant idea.

"What is it?"

"Haruhi can be your confidant! She'll totally get your position and is very good at keeping secrets."

"Why would I need a confidant?"

"You can't keep your feelings all pent up. You need someone to talk to about it when I'm not around."

"I don't know," I said, unsure.

"Please, Haruka-chan," she begged me, using her puppy dog eyes.

"Okay," I sighed, caving in.

"You know, Honey has the same puppy dog eyes as you," I chuckled as I remembered. My mood dropped as I remembered the rest of what happened that day. "They were so like yours that I almost started to cry. I really missed you."

"Oh, Haruka. I missed you, too, you big softie."

"I'm not a softie!"

"Yeah right," she said, giggling as she climbed into bed with me.

Instead of arguing with Mari and telling her to sleep in her own bed, I turned off the light and cuddled up to her. I breathed the familiar scent of my sister and sighed in contentment as I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **Okay they are TOO CUTE UGH I'M DYING. AAAHHHH! Please, please, PLEASE R &R! Thank youuuu! You can look forward to next week's chapter ^_^.**

'…'

 **My brain is a little frazzled today. I guess it's good that she's** _ **finally**_ **shut up.**

'… **You shut up. I'm in pain, okay? Ugh…'**


	5. Chapter 4

**And zis is ze glorious chapter 4! FEAST YOUR EYES ON ITS MAGNIFICENCE. Thanks for all the support, and remember to R &R! I delve deeper into the world of transgender women in this chapter, so if you no likey, you no ready.**

' **YOU IRRATIONALLY TRANSPHOBIC BASTARDS.'**

 **Hey, be careful about what you say!**

 **Warnings: This can be a little graphic for some people? Idk…**

* * *

As the final bell rang for the day and the club period began, Kaoru grabbed my arm before I could slink off to my dorm.

"Oh no, you're coming with me. We have something very special planned for you."

 _Oh shit._

I screeched as Kaoru picked me up and flung me over his shoulder. "Put me down this instant!" I yelled, pounding my fists into his back.

"Neverrrr!" He cackled evilly and tightened his grip. People were staring at us as he schlepped me to the club room, my face redder than a tomato. Hikaru flung open the door to Music Room 3 and Kaoru put me down as soon as his brother closed and locked the door.

I brushed my uniform off and was about to give Kaoru a piece of my mind when I saw what lay before me.

Over fifty very girly swimsuits on mannequins.

 _Oh. Shit._

"Here, I picked one out for you!" Kaoru said, pointing to a mannequin that was wearing a sea green bikini the exact same color as my eyes.

 _There is no way in hell I can wear a bikini, especially one like that. You'd see my dick through it! And how the hell can I make it look like I've got boobs in that?_ I panicked internally.

"Why don't you try it on?"

"No!" I immediately answer.

"But… why not?" Asked a crestfallen Kaoru. I thought of a plan quickly in my head. "Because I don't feel comfortable in a bikini, or any swimsuit, really. I just don't want to show that much skin."

"Well, I think-"

"Mari is absolutely right! No lady should show that much skin before she's married!" Tamaki interrupted Kaoru. "I like you, Mari, and your way of thinking. If only the evil doppelgangers were more like you," he sighed.

Kaoru shot Tamaki the dirtiest look possible before turning to me. "If you don't like mine, pick one out on your own. As I was saying earlier, I think you would look good in anything. You have a beautiful body and you should respect yourself more than that."

I flushed pink at his sweet words. "O-okay. Um, let me call my sister. She's a fashion expert, well, more than I am, at least."

"But you do know I am the son of Yuzuha Hitachiin, right? The one who designed these swimsuits. She's a world famous designer," he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

 _Yuzuha Hitachiin. That name does ring a bell._

"I think I've heard of her before. I wouldn't be surprised if she was your mother. Everyone here, except for Haruhi, is from rich and famous families."

"Well, you're right about that. Speaking of Haruhi, I need to show her the swimsuit we picked out for her. Go ahead and call your sister." I nodded and pressed speed dial as I walked out of the room and as Kaoru went to torture Haruhi.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up!" I muttered desperately into the phone.

 _Click._

"Thank god you picked up! There's a situation," I said, getting right down to business.

"What's the matter?"

"Hikaru and Kaoru are forcing me to go to the beach with them and there's no way I can get out of it. They brought swimsuits that their mom designed and are waiting for me to pick one! I need your help!"

"Okay, calm down. Did they pick one for you?"

"Yeah, but it was a bikini. I made up some BS excuse to not try it on."

"That's good. You definitely can't wear a bikini. What you want is a one piece or a tankini with a skirt. Tell me which ones you see."

"Hold on," I said and re-entered the room, looking through the crowd of mannequins. "I see… a yellow polka dotted tankini, an orange and red one piece, a pink one piece, and a green and blue striped tankini that match your requirements."

"What does the pink one look like?"

"It's pretty simple. It's pale pink, has those straps that go around your neck-"

"Halter top."

"Yeah, that's it. It's got what I think is called a sweetheart neckline, and it has this rose in between the boobs."

"Is it low cut?"

"No."

"How long is the skirt?"

"Long enough to cover the bottom part of the swimsuit."

"That's the one you should go with. I'll teach you how to put the swimsuit on later, when you're alone. For now, just say that you found one and you don't want anybody to see you in it until you go to the beach."

"Okay. Thanks, sis. You're a life saver."

"No problem. Love you."

"Love you, too. Bye," I said, and hung up.

"Kaoru, I picked out a swimsuit," I called, catching his attention.

"Which one?" He asked, coming towards me.

"Um, it's a surprise. You'll get to see it when we go to the beach."

"I'm looking forward to it! Let's see if your sister really does have good taste."

"Oi! Don't insult my sister!" I said, offended.

Kaoru just laughed. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Of course you will! We're in the same class."

"Okay. See you! He said with a wave, turning around and heading back to Haruhi. I quickly slipped the swimsuit off the mannequin and left to go to my room. As soon as I got back, I dialed Mari again.

"Okay. I'm alone with the swimsuit."

"Good. I'll teach you how to tuck and turn yourself into a woman. You'll need 1-inch duct tape, special underwear, a strapless, ultra-padded bra, shaving cream, and a razor."

"That sounds scary. What're you gonna do, perform some crude type of torture on me?"

"Not really, but it will be painful. Come home tomorrow. I'll have everything you'll need. The beach trip is this Saturday, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yep. Bye." I hung up and sighed before flopping onto my bed.

 _I wonder what things my sister will have in store for me tomorrow._

~0x0x0x~

"Do I really have to shave everything?" I called to my sister, who was standing outside the bathroom. I looked down at my shaving cream covered crotch and groaned.

 _I do_ not _want to do this._

"Yep! Sorry, bro. Now finish or I'll have to do it for you."

"No! I'm doing it, I'm doing it!" I cried and began shaving. Once I was done, I put the lotion she instructed me to use on and stared at myself in the mirror. I no longer had hair on my legs, arms, armpits, or crotch, and it was so weird to see myself like that.

 _So this is what my sister looks like…_

"Are you done yet?" She called impatiently.

I wrapped a towel around my waist and hurried out. "Okay, I'm officially a hairless baby. Now what?"

She laughed. "You were always a big baby. Anyways, now I'll teach you how to tuck."

"What's tucking?"

"When you push your balls back up to where they came from and tape everything so that it won't come undone."

"What the fuck?! Do I have to?"

"Yes. We'll do it with medical tape for now, but on Saturday, you'll need to use duct tape for it to be more permanent. It will hurt, but if it starts hurting too much, stop. Now go back in the bathroom and tuck, unless you want me to do it for you."

"Okay, okay. I'll do it," I said, holding up my hands in defeat and walking back into the bathroom to tuck.

 _This beach trip better be fun or I swear I'll kill those twins from hell._

* * *

 **Sooo… here's a look into the life of a transgender woman and all the struggles they have to go through. I'm not trans, but I made sure to do my research so I could write this chapter properly. If I have any transgender readers, please tell me what you think! I would love the feedback and correction on any mistakesI may have made. I LOVE THE MISCHEVIOUS TWINS FROM HELL! They're just sooo cuuute!**

' **I thought your favorite is Kyoya. You practically have an orgasm every time you see him.'**

 **NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT. GOD, I HATE MY BRAIN SOMETIMES.**

' **More like all the time, which sucks because I keep you alive.'**

 **…**


	6. Chapter 5

**Okay, here's the thing. The story is not complete yet, and this is the last pre-written chapter I have. No matter how hard I try, I just can't write more yet. I have a vague idea of how I should continue, so I'll write it when it becomes clear and I get my motivation back. I've been swamped with school and musical rehearsals as well, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out. For now, it's on hiatus. I AM SO SORRYYYYY.**

* * *

 **BEACH TRIP! YEAH! Who's hyped? I am!**

 **'... You're not even going to the beach.'**

 **Ignore her; she's just a party pooper. Enjoy chapter 5, and, as always, R &R!**

 **Warnings: None**

* * *

"Come out already," whined the twins as I pulled on my gaff.

"I-in a minute!" I called out desperately. _Shit! I still have to put on my bra, swimsuit, and the white dress I'm using as a beach cover up!_

"Is something the matter?" Asked… Kaoru, I think.

"No," I said, snapping my bra closed and yanking on my swimsuit. "I just don't know if my sister made the right choice for me. I don't look good in this," I said. _I hope they can't smell bullshit._

"So you do have it on! Come out, then!"

I pulled the casual white dress over my head, smoothed out my hair, and ripped open the curtain.

"Fine, I'm out," I groaned. "You don't need to pester me like that."

"Aw, you look cute. I'm looking forward to seeing which swimsuit you picked out," Kaoru said, grabbing my arm. "Now let's go to the beach!"

"You don't need to always drag me everywhere! I have fully functional legs of my own!" I snapped.

"You might run away if we don't, so dragging it is!"

As soon as my feet touched sand, Kaoru let go of my arm.

"Gee, thanks," I muttered, rubbing my arm. Suddenly, I felt someone pull on my dress.

"We're at the beach, so take it off!" The devil twins chorused.

"No! Hey, wait! You can't just strip a girl without her permiss-aaah!" Hikaru managed to yank my dress of and I stumbled backwards, landing on my butt in the sand.

 _Great. I already have sand in my suit._

"I swear, you two-" I stopped when I saw how they were staring at me. Instinctively, I covered myself with my arms and blushed. "What are you staring at, huh?! You perverts!"

"You just look sooo cute!" They cried together, picking me up and squeezing me tightly.

"Alright, I get it! I look cute! Now let go of me, it's getting hard to breathe!" I gasped and struggled in their arms.

 _I can't deal with these two right now. My balls hurt like hell and it feels so weird._

They complied, releasing me, and I brushed sand off my suit.

"Let's go swimming!" They said together, and I was off again, swept up into their whirlwind of boundless energy.

I sat with my feet dangling over the edge of a cliff, enjoying the warm, salty breeze that gently ruffled my sand dusted hair. The setting sun painted the sky a blazing orange, and golden clouds dotted the endless horizon. I closed my eyes and tilted my head up, letting the sun's fading rays hit my skin.

 _This is paradise._

I heard some girls chattering behind me and my peace was shattered. Thankfully, they ignored me and turned their attention to the host that was collecting the side dishes she adored below.

"Look up here, Haruhi-kun!"

"What's up?"

"The breeze up here feels great!"

I groaned and rolled my eyes. _All girls want is attention from boys. Even if they're not actual boys_ , I thought, laughing a little.

"It's dangerous, be careful!" Haruhi called back, worried.

"This feels so good," moaned a girl.

"Mmhmm!" Agreed another.

"Hey, there are chicks up there, man!" Said a rough voice that was definitely not a girl's. I twisted around to see three college guys carrying beer cans swagger towards us.

"Aren't we lucky? You ladies wanna hang out with a couple of locals?" A dude with a ponytail said.

"No thanks. Please, just leave us alone!" Said one of the girls. Ponytail guy grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. "Aw, c'mon! We just wanna show you girls how to have a good time!"

"Yeah," said a guy who had an unoriginal tribal tattoo on his upper arm and ear piercings. He grabbed me from behind and I struggled to escape his surprisingly strong grip.

"This is a private beach! You guys are not allowed to be here," said the girl who was wearing an orange bikini.

"Private? Does that mean we're alone?" Said another guy with a beard, pulling the two other girls into his arms as they screamed. All of a sudden, ponytail dude cried out and spun around, revealing two sea urchins stuck into his back. Haruhi stood tall with a now empty bucket.

"Why don't you quit bothering them? Weren't you jerks listening? You better just leave them alone," she said angrily.

"Haruhi!" Cried white swimsuit girl gratefully.

"You little runt!"

The girl scampered off and I saw her frantically explaining to the twins and Tamaki what was happening. Kaoru looked up and our eyes met for a second before the man who was holding me yanked me to my feet.

"Leave him alone, or this little girl gets it!" He growled, his becoming grip even tighter. I couldn't ignore how his hand squeezed my 'boob' and I struggled even more in his arms.

"Yeah! Do you want to join her?" Threatened ponytail man.

"No! Don't hurt him! I don't care what you do to me, but if you touch Haruhi, I can guarantee you won't be out of the hospital for months!" I yelled.

"Aw, look. Cute and feisty little girl wants to help her wimpy boyfriend out. Too bad it won't help!"

"How about you take a dip?" Ponytail dude said and grabbed Haruhi by her shirt before pushing her over the edge. The Host Club's king arrived just as she was being shoved off the cliff.

"Haruhi!" We cried. Tamaki dove from the cliff and I struggled even more.

"Oh shit," the man who was holding the two girls uttered, and I saw Hikaru and Kaoru, with auras blacker than Kyoya's on a bad day, approach them, their glinting eyes promising murder. All of a sudden, the man who was holding me loosened his grip and I shot out of his arms, not expecting the sudden loosening. I fell over the side of the cliff, managing to grab the edge before I could fall into the water.

"Mari!" Kaoru cried and ran over to where I was holding on for dear life. The very girly screams of men filled the air as Hikaru gave them hell.

"Kaoru, I can't hold on much longer!"

"Hold, on I got y-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, my grip slipped and I fell. I could see his arm reach out towards and his eyes widen as I instinctively stretched my arms up.

"Kaoru!" I screamed, before hitting my head on a rock that jutted out from the cliff. Everything went dark and I faintly sensed the change in my surroundings as I hit the water. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Everything just became colder and darker as I drifted off, sinking further into the water.

* * *

 **Oh crap! Who's gonna rescue poor Haruka?!**

' **Everybody already knows who's going to save him. Stop being so annoying, you're thwarting off readers.'**

 ***Slaps leftover duct tape over brain's mouth* I love all of you tons and I'll hopefully see you soon!**

 **Gaff: A special spandex-type underwear used to keep a tuck in place.**


	7. Chapter 6

***Confetti and fireworks* GUESS WHO'S BACK, BITCHES! AHAHAHA! That's right, The Switch has awakened from its slumber and now here's the fantabulous chapter 6! Thanks for being patient, m'dears. I love y'all, and enjoy!**

* * *

The burn in my lungs and nose were the first things I noticed as I fought my way back into consciousness. The next thing I noticed was the rhythmic pushes into my chest and...

The unmistakable feeling of someone's mouth being pressed up on mine, blowing air into my blocked lungs.

I immediately awoke, hacking violently before managing to roll over, throwing up the copious amount of salt water I had ingested. The burn of the salt in my raw throat was borderline unbearable as I continued to heave. My rescuer brushed my hair away from my face and held it in a ponytail as I retched, murmuring soothingly and rubbing small circles on my back. When there was nothing left, that person pulled me into their arms, rocking me back and forth.

"Mari, oh my god. I thought you were dead," the unmistakable voice of Kaoru said brokenly above me.

Kaoru had saved me. Go figure. He _had_ been there when I first fell, anyways.

 _Wait. Kaoru saved me..._

 _Kaoru did CPR._

 _He... kissed... me..._

I let out a screech and scrambled out of Kaoru's arms, my face lighting up.

"Mari?! What-?"

"CPR. Mouth-to-mouth. You. On me. Fuck. Oh no. Nononono. You did- you took- wait! Does that even count?! No, it does. I think. No. Shit shit shit! Th-that was-!" I stumbled over my words, trying to untangle my thoughts which had suddenly become disorganized.

My first kiss had been with a guy. Kaoru Hitachiin, no less.

 _Fan-fucking-tastic. If my sister finds out, I am so dead._

"Woah, Mari! Slow down! What's wrong? What're you trying to say?"

"My first kiss!" I blurted out, my face getting as bright and hot as the surface of the sun.

"What- oh!" Kaoru realized what he had done and blushed as well.

"Um, I'm sorry! I was just trying to help you, and you weren't breathing, so, I don't know, I just- my instincts kicked in, and-" he stuttered out an explanation.

"Guys, not to ruin your moment, but CPR doesn't count as a kiss, and Mari is still bleeding. Like, a lot," Hikaru interrupted. My hand flew up to my head and I felt the warm stickiness of blood.

"Oh yeah! Shit, I'm sorry. Let's just get you back to the hotel," Kaoru apologized again and stood up with me still in his arms, bridal-style.

"P-put me down! I can walk!" I protested, still blushing.

"No way. The doctor is at the house and she's gonna take a look at you and wrap you up. Until I put you on your bed, you are not leaving my arms," he said firmly. Despite my complaints, he did just that, leaving my room only when the doctor told him to.

This, however, presented a problem. Even after I had reassured the doctor that I had only hit my head, she insisted on checking me over completely.

"I understand that you are shy and uncomfortable, but please bear with me. It will be over before you know it, I promise," she said gently, believing that was the issue.

"No, you don't understand," I paused before continuing, choosing my words carefully. "I'm not a girl. Don't ask why I'm pretending to be one, it's a rather long story and not one I'll tell. The others don't know this... other than Kyoya, possibly. He's like some kind of all-seeing, all-knowing God. I wouldn't be surprised if he does know," I muttered.

"I see," the doctor said.

"I'm sorry. Please don't tell anyone," I said pleadingly.

"No worries, your secret is safe with me. I'll leave you to change then. If you experience headaches or pain, take Advil. If this lasts longer than a week or the swelling doesn't go down, I recommend you see your physician. That bandage will need to be replaced daily, too," she instructed while packing up his bag. I nodded, mentally taking note of what she said.

"Ah, before I leave, I'll give you some unsolicited advice. I'm sure whatever reason you have for pretending to be a girl is a good one, but I suggest you tread carefully. The fact is, you can't keep this kind of a secret forever. Those boys seem to really care for you, one of them in particular. Don't let it get too out of hand, because you might wind up hurting yourself and them. Take care of yourself," she said, before bowing and exiting.

I sat on the edge of the bed, processing the bit of advice. The doctor had an extremely good point, but I just couldn't find a proper way of telling any of my friends about my secret, especially Kaoru. I wasn't gonna lie, when she said that one boy in particular seemed to care deeply for me, my thoughts turned to the oftentimes annoying but caring twin. I found myself hoping that it was Kaoru who liked me out of all the others.

This was very bad. I quickly began to wrack my brain for information on crushes. I never had a crush before, but my sister had one constantly. I heard about them all the time. I remembered what Mari would always say and nervously compared how I felt to her symptoms. She'd always say your heart would start pounding, you wouldn't be able to control your blush, every look would give you shivers, every word would be the most important thing ever, and how even the most casual of touches would set your body on fire.

I wasn't feeling any of those things, thank god.

 _I mean, I_ think _I'm not..._

I put my aching head in my hands and groaned. This was a complicated subject and I was too tired to deal with it at that moment, even though I knew I'd have to get back to it eventually. I quickly stripped out of my bathing suit and undid the horrible, horrible tuck, almost crying in relief at the sweet feeling of freedom. Sighing, I trotted happily to the bathroom to take a much needed and wanted shower.

~0x0x0x~

I opened the bathroom door, releasing a hot puff of steam as I walked into the bedroom. Humming a random tune as I rummaged through the bag I brought with me, I looked for the outfit I was going to wear to dinner (a light blue and frilly dress that was also my nightgown).

"Um... Mari...?" A voice called tentatively and I stifled a scream as I whirled around.

There, standing in my room, was Haruhi.

* * *

 **Welp, Haruka has a lot of explaining to do!**

 **"..."**

 **I'm sorry about her. It's been a really, really shitty week, so she's probably gonna be subdued for a bit.**

 **"Look, I'm just working hard! You know you have a lot of work to catch up on and just so much other shit to do! Not to mention that you finally got a chapter out for this story after way too long and on top of that it's way too short, and you've got no idea how it's gonna continue, and-"**

 **STOP, GODDAMNIT! AAAAGH! *Cries* P-please R &R... thanks... I-I really appreciate your support...**


	8. Chapter 7

**Do your eyes deceive you?! No! This is chapter 7! Praise the gods! I hope you enjoy this chapter ;). Remember to R &R, my lovely readers.**

 **Warnings: None.**

* * *

Haruhi and I stared at each other for a long time before she spoke.

"So... not a girl..."

"I'm assuming I was right with my assumption of "not a boy" as well?" I reciprocated. She let out a huff of laughter and gestured at her pink and girly dress. "I was planning on telling you tonight. That's what I came here to tell you, besides checking to see how you're feeling and telling you that dinner's being made."

At first I cast only a brief glance at her dress, but did a double take.

"Woah, wait a minute... you and I have the same dress!"

"Do we?" She looked at the garment in my arms and then back at herself. "Do you want me to change? I didn't want to wear this anyways, it was something my dad packed."

"Ah, no. It shouldn't be a problem," I said, shaking my head. "But, um, I understand that you probably want to talk and stuff, but I'm still only in a towel. It might take a while for me to "transform", so to speak. Maybe you could, like, wait outside or something?"

"Oh, right! Sorry," she said, bowing before leaving the room. After changing and forgoing the makeup, I invited her back in and we sat on the bed.

"So, um, I guess I'll start with my story. I was planning on telling you anyways. My sister said I needed a confidant and that you were the perfect person. I guess I should start with explaining who my sister is, since she's the one who got me in this mess in the first place."

~0x0x0x~

After exchanging our gender swapping stories and a few others, it was already late enough for dinner.

"So, are you ready to face Tamaki? You know how he can be. He'll never stick to his resolve."

"God no. That airhead can just be so stupid sometimes," she muttered, rolling her eyes. I laughed as we entered the dining room, where everyone froze when they saw us. Seconds passed in silence before the twins were besides us in a flash.

"Oh my god, look at them!"

"They're matching, how adorable!"

"Hey, knock it off!" I growled, shaking them off.

"Haruhi finally got a friend who's a girl! She'll unlock her full girly potential! Oh, I'm so happy my darling daughters are getting along!"

"Tamaki, you've forgiven Haruhi already?" Kyoya asked casually, pushing his glasses up. The blond fool gasped as he remembered.

"That's right! I'm not talking to her until she admits that she was wrong!" He said, crossing his his arms and looking away haughtily. Haruhi simply sighed and sat down, where I took a seat on her other side. Dinner was spent in an awkward silence until Tamaki finally got fed up and left. I cast a playfully accusing glare at her and she gave me a little smirk in return. So she had been acting cute on purpose, knowing it would rile Tamaki up. When the conversation turned to how much everyone cared for Haruhi, I slipped away. Emotional scenes had never been my kind of thing, and I felt out of place with the hosts, who had become so intimate. Right before I was about to take off my wig, I heard a soft knock on my door.

"Come in," I sighed, ready for the day to be over. To my surprise it wasn't Haruhi, it was Kaoru who entered my room.

"Hey," he said, plopping down on the bed next to me.

"H-hi," I answered, my usual sarcastic self gone, replaced with a kind of strange shyness. I hated how my demeanor could be so much like a girl's when I was around him. It was stupid and I had no idea why I even did it, but whenever I tried to stop, it got worse.

"I noticed you looked uncomfortable during dinner and was worried when you left. Is your head hurting? Should I call the doctor back?" He asked worriedly.

"No, no! I'm okay! Im just no good with, um, intimate scenes like that. I felt really awkward and out of place..."

"Hey, you're part of the Host Club, too. We're a family here."

"So I've heard from Tamaki," I joked.

"Oh god, no! In no way am I his 'son', nor do I want to be," he said in mock-horror. We both laughed and I found myself settling in with the redhead. Somehow his arm wound up casually slung over my shoulder while he played with a lock of my hair.

"It looks like there's gonna be a storm really soon, huh," I noted absentmindedly as I stared out of the large windows. It was pitch black, the moon and stars covered with dark, angry clouds. I didn't bother to turn a light on, so I could barely make anything out in my room. It was still strangely comfortable in Kaoru's arms. It felt... natural.

"Mmm," he hummed in detached agreement. After a while in a comfortable silence he spoke up again. "Hey, Mari?"

"What? I asked, and turned my head to look at him.

Kaoru leaned forward and captured my lips in his as the first bolt of lightning streaked jaggedly through the air, illuminating us.

My mind went blank and I froze, not knowing what to do. I should've stopped him, or at least tried to protest, but I let him kiss me. The tumultuous weather reflected my feelings as it poured and loud claps of thunder shook the mansion. The sound blended in with my racing heart as the kiss continued on.

 _He... tastes like seafood..._

* * *

 **'...'**

 **What?! Don't look at me like that! I wasn't expecting it either! You're so spontaneous sometimes...**

 **So yeah... I actually wasn't planning on making them kiss, it just sort of... happened, I guess? I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **'You're gonna go to hell.'**

 **I've known that for a very long time.**


	9. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I know it's been 2 months since I last updated. I've been in a hole for a long time now and I still haven't recovered. I can't write at all and it's been affecting** **my performance in school greatly. Not only have I lost the ability to write creatively, analytical, persuasive, and even research papers have become impossible for me to do. I got so frustrated at one point that I had a meltdown and an anxiety attack. I'm behind in almost all of my assignments and I've kind of lost motivation to do anything anymore. My procrastination is back in full force and now I have several severely overdue papers, not to mention my future assignments. It took everything I had to crank this chapter out for you guys. It's probably not my best work, but I'm relieved that I can write at all and that I'm getting better. I just want you guys to know that I really appreciate you sticking around and supporting me, and I love all of you. Here's chapter 8 as an apology/thank you gift. And a day early!**

 **Warnings: Angst...?**

* * *

Mari's lips felt like heaven against mine, soft and warm. I honestly never wanted to leave her embrace, wanted to always feel the pleasant tingle that stemmed from my lips and spread throughout my body. It was only when I angled my face to try and get into a better position that I noticed Mari was completely still and unresponsive. I instantly pulled back, mortified. Clearly I had overstepped her boundaries.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I mentally berated myself for being such an idiot. What made me think that she even liked me in that way at all?

"Oh no, Mari, I'm so sorry, so, so sorry!" I sputtered as I hastily turned on the lamp that was perched on the bedside table. When I turned around, I was greeted by a sight that sent and ice cold spear of dread straight through me.

Mari's cheeks glistened with tears as her fingers brushed her lips, an unbelieving look on her face. Yet her eyes were filled with awe, something that the very hopeful side of me gobbled up.

"I didn't mean to make you cry. I'm really sorry," I said, wanting so desperately to wipe away her tears and pull her into another hug, but refraining from doing so. It would probably upset her more, anyways.

The hand that was on her mouth moved upwards to touch her cheek, seemingly surprised when she saw how her fingertips glistened with moisture. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. It wasn't like this kind of thing happened to me before. I was always on the receiving end of love and took it for granted. My brother and I would shatter poor girls' hearts and not think twice about it. Now, I was the one giving.

And that scared the crap out of me.

I suddenly realized how the girls had felt when they had been turned down by me. Being on the giving end and not getting anything in return was painful.

"I'm sorry. I know I crossed the line and I shouldn't have. I understand if you don't want to see me again. I'm sorry for ruining our friendship," I muttered awkwardly and left hastily, leaving a still silent Mari behind. Just before I exited, however, I made the mistake of glancing back.

Mari's damp cheeks glowed and her eyes shimmered in the soft lighting of the lamp. She was beautiful and it broke my heart to see a look of pained confusion sweep across her perfect features as she snapped out of her haze.

I was gone before she could say anything.

~0x0x0x~

I should've said something.

Hell, I should've done something, whether it was kissing him back or pushing him away.

But all I did was sit there dumbly on the bed and gape at Kaoru in awe from the rather fantastic kiss. A billion thoughts raced through my head, making it impossible to bridge my mind and my body together to form any words.

"... didn't mean to make you cry..."

His words floated to me through the haze of confusion and I responded automatically, lifting my fingers to brush against my damp skin. I hadn't even realized I was crying. The only semi-clear thought in my mind was that I wanted to continue that kiss, but my body still wouldn't obey me. My eyes focused in on his face, which was a whirlwind of emotions, predominantly fear, intense regret, and self-hate. I was so caught up in analyzing his face that I almost missed his next words.

"I'm sorry. I know I crossed the line and I shouldn't have. I understand if you don't want to see me again. I'm sorry for ruining our friendship," he muttered woefully, getting up and walking to the door, his entire posture slouched and emanating defeat. By then I was coming back to my senses, and when he turned around to give me that one last look, reality bitch-slapped me and I suddenly realized what had happened.

Kaoru Hitachiin, son of an uber-famous designer, a sought-after host in the Host Club, and my first friend at Ouran, had just kissed me out of his own free will.

And he still thought I was a girl.

I'm not stupid. You don't just accidentally fall onto someone's lips like that. Generally, when you kiss someone, that means you have feelings for them.

Of course. It just had to be me. It was like the heavens opened up and God said, "I hate you, Haruka Akiyama."

I was screwed.

~0x0x0x~

I sat as far away from Kaoru as I possibly could in the limo as we drove back from the beach to the academy. Avoiding the mopey puppy dog looks he was constantly giving me was surprisingly easy as stared out of the window, the scenery that was blurring by us even more undefined than usual since I hadn't slept a wink the night before. My head pounded, my eyes burned, and my body and eyelids felt like sacks of lead weights. It took everything I had to stay awake until we finally stopped in front of the dorm buildings. I scrambled out of the car and winced at the blinding and headache-aggravating sunlight, hastily grabbing my suitcase from the chauffeur and muttering a quick "goodbye" before stumbling off like a zombie to my room.

~0x0x0x~

I was startled awake by my phone ringing shrilly. Muttering a string of profanities, I smacked around my bedside table for my phone but couldn't find it. Confused, I managed to crack a sleep-crusted eye open and saw nothing but darkness and a bright sliver of light from a gap between the curtains. My phone rang again and I realized that it was in my pocket, so I reached down quickly to answer it and make the damn ringing stop.

"Whaddyawant?" I huffed, stifling a huge yawn.

"Haruka, it's me," Haruhi said, her sweet voice instantly soothing my morning grumps. "I'm standing outside your door with breakfast... well, more like late lunch. I was thinking we could eat and talk."

"'Bout what?"

"The trip."

My stomach immediately twisted into knots at the mention of the beach trip and my mood turned sour once more.

"'M not hungry. Thanks."

"Haruka, if you don't open the door, I'm coming in."

"Whatever," I grumbled, hanging up. I sighed in contentment and snuggled back into the sheets, my eyes drooping shut again. My beauty sleep was interrupted mere seconds later by Haruhi shaking me.

"Haruka. Haruka, get up."

"Go 'way," I groaned, turning over.

"It's 2 in the afternoon. If you don't get up now, I'll have to take drastic measures," she threatened.

"Do whatever you want. 'M not gonna get up. Lemme sleep."

"Fine," she said, walking away. I smiled in triumph at her retreating footsteps and prepared to go back to sleep.

My victory was short-lived.

Haruhi opened the curtains and bright, bright sunlight flooded the room, making me screech and hiss like a vampire as I scrambled up, blocking my now sun-spotted eyes from further damage. Unfortunately, in my mad scramble to get away from the offending light, I tripped over a fancy decorative pillow (seriously, fuck those things) and tumbled out of bed in a ungraceful tangle of blankets.

"Haruhi, what the fuck?!" I groaned, trying to detangle myself.

"I did give you a warning," she said, shrugging.

"That was inhumane. You're heartless," I muttered, rubbing my now sore eyes.

"Hey, I do what I have to do."

"Obviously," I said, rolling my eyes as I finally untangled myself from the sheets and stood up, stretching.

"You know I'm not the kind to care about appearances, but you look horrible," she said, scanning me with a hint of worry. I glanced down at myself and noticed the extremely rumpled and wrinkled clothing I had slept in. Apparently I hadn't even changed out of them before I went to sleep. I couldn't really remember what had happened that day or how I had even managed to get to my room. Cautiously, almost fearfully, I turned around to look into the big mirror and grimaced at the sight that stared back at me. What little makeup I had worn that day was smeared all over my face, making me look like a clown. My wig was crooked and incredibly tangled, sticking out every which way. I knew it would be a pain in the ass to untangle it and I wasn't looking forward to spending 30 minutes brushing the goddamn hot and itchy torture device. All of these things combined and I looked like a cross between Chucky the doll and a hobo clown. It was not pretty.

"Uh, I think I should get cleaned up before eating. Unless the food you brought has to be eaten hot..."

"No, no. Take your time. It's just some convenience store sandwiches, fruit, and chips," she said, waving her hand dismissively. I cracked a small smile. "How did the hosts ever let you get away with eating that kind of subpar food?"

She smiled back. "Well, convenience stores are like a treasure chest to Tamaki. He was so absorbed with studying everything that he barely even noticed I had bought something. I doubt he would've let me gotten anything if he had noticed. Even if he's obsessed with commoner's food, he wouldn't go so far as to eat pre-made meals from convenience stores," she said, chuckling. "Now go take a shower."

"Yes, ma'am!" I saluted her obediently and marched off to the bathroom.

~0x0x0x~

After the much-welcomed steamy shower, Haruhi and I sat on the floor in front of the large windows that lined the wall on one side of my room and enjoyed the crisp breeze that blew in. She had originally planned a picnic, but I was not in the mood to put on my girly getup just to go outside.

"Sorry it isn't much," Haruhi apologized as she unpacked the cooler. "My dad and I are, um, having some... money problems right now," she admitted quietly.

"Oh, Haruhi, you should've told me! I-I would've been perfectly okay just grabbing something from the dining hall, y'know!"

"It's too late now, not that it mattered much in the first place. Spending a couple hundred yen was really not that big of a deal."

"Wow... you really didn't have to..." my chest constricted in a strange way at the sweet girl's kindness. She was always willing to lend an ear and always able to help out when someone had a problem. I briefly wondered just why she wasn't the top host yet. Don't get me wrong, Tamaki was a nice guy who never intentionally hurt anybody and was always eager to help. But he was dimwitted, annoying, and incredibly heteronormative at some points. I already had a feeling that my sister didn't like him much, but decided that his hotness made up for it. I knew that if she ever heard some of the things the blond prince said, she would politely and calmly explain that what he had said was wrong while imagining how many different ways she could torture him in her mind. Haruhi, on the other hand, was perfect, albeit a little blunt at times. I couldn't ask for a better friend.

"Actually, I did have to. Letting you sleep the day away and starve wasn't an option for me. You're my friend, and I care about you and your well-being. Money is insignificant if it means I'm helping a friend," she said, shrugging like it was no big deal. She didn't know that it was, at least to me. Sure, I've had plenty of friends before, but none had ever shown as much care and selflessness as the petite girl sitting across from me had. My heart ached and deep, nameless emotions swirled up from the pit of my stomach, spreading a tight, warm feeling throughout my body. Without knowing, the dam holding back all my pent up emotions broke and tears began streaming down my face.

"Haruka?!"

"Th-thank you," I hiccuped, wiping my tears away quickly, my face red with embarrassment. I swear, I was getting more and more girly every day, but at that moment I couldn't bring myself to care much.

"Hey, there's no need to cry about it. I already told you it was okay," she murmured, pulling me into a hug. I snuggled into her, surprised at how much warmth such a little body could generate.

"No, r-really, Haru. It means s-so much to me that you even bother, even though I'm lying to your friends a-and-" I cut myself off quickly, my face heating up even more in embarrassment as I recalled the other night.

"Haruka... what happened?" She asked softly.

"I-" I swallowed thickly. I certainly didn't want her to hate me, but I also didn't want to lie anymore.

"If it's really that bad, we don't have to talk about it," she said, and her voice was so gentle, so caring, that it nearly broke me. I couldn't lie to her. I just couldn't. Pulling myself out of her arms, I stared at my wringing hands in my lap. "Well, uhm..." I trailed off, almost losing courage. She sat and waited patiently, not saying anything.

"I... Kaoru... he k-kissed me. Not during CPR, I mean," I added quickly to abate any confusion, "but later, after dinner. We were just sitting on my bed and talking and he just... he just... leaned over and kissed me, just like that. No warning, nothing. I was so shocked I didn't respond at all, and he took it as rejection. He thinks he ruined our friendship... and honestly, it might have," I finished sadly.

Silence.

"Haruhi...?" I questioned nervously, before steeling myself to look up at her. She was in deep though, her brow scrunched up as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"Do you like him?"

"Wh-what kind of question is that? Of course I do, that's why I'm so worried."

"Not "like" in that sense. I'm talking romantically," she said, rolling her eyes a little.

"Oh. Oh! I, um... maybe- I mean, it's not completely impossible, but, um, I'm not, like, exhibiting many symptoms, I just-" I stuttered, forgetting how to even make complete sentences as my face was set aflame.

"I'll take that as a yes, then." I didn't bother trying to correct her. In fact, a large part of me didn't even want to. I simply just nodded.

"Well then, we obviously have a huge issue here. And I'm pretty sure you know what it is.""He thinks I'm a girl."

"Exactly. There are three possible outcomes to this situation. One: you tell him and confess and run the big risk of him hating you; two: you don't tell him and confess, letting you have a relationship, but one that's essentially founded on a lie; three: you avoid him and the host club."

I cringed at the three options. "All of those sound shitty."

"You don't have to pick now. Give it some time. But give it too much time and that means you went with option #3."

We sat in heavy silence until Haruhi cleared her throat and gestured to the untouched food. "We should eat."

"I'm not hungry," I muttered, which was partially true. I was actually starving, but my stomach was in such bad knots that I didn't think I could keep anything down.

"Oh no you don't. You are gonna eat whether you like it or not. It'll be easier to do it yourself than have me cram it down your esophagus. So eat," she said firmly.

"Woah, okay! I'll eat!" I cried, my hands shooting up quickly in defeat. Haruhi was a woman who was true to her words, I knew that and didn't want to test it again. Tentatively, I took a small bite and drank some cherry-lime cola (my favorite. I don't know how Haruhi even found out), the stress knots loosening some and hunger becoming more predominant. Never had convenience store sandwiches ever tasted so good and I started to stuff my face, Haruhi reminding me more than once to slow down. After finishing, we idly chatted and stared out the window until the conversation trailed off into a comfortable silence. I hadn't even noticed we had fallen asleep against each other at some point until I woke up with a pillow under my head and wrapped in blankets that had been dragged to the floor.

Just this small act of kindness solidified the answer I had been toying with ever since Haruhi gave me the options. I never, ever wanted to hurt any of my new friends, and I couldn't stand lying to them anymore and hurting them without them even knowing.

I couldn't hurt Kaoru anymore.

* * *

 **MUAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! Boy, do I love torturing my poor readers with angst. SO MUCH ANGST. Which option do you think Haruka went with? You won't find out until next week, but I'll let you guess ;). On a different note; Haruka's and Haruhi's friendship is ADORABLE.**

 **'NO. STOP THAT THOUGHT, READER. IT IS** ** _NOT_** **ROMANTIC, NOR WILL IT** ** _EVER_** **BE.'**

 ***Agrees with brain for once* Yeah! That's always the problem when you have a best friend who is of the opposite gender. People will** **always** **think you're dating. UGH. Also, I love Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, but when I wrote that line "...didn't mean to make you cry...", it was totally unintentional. I didn't realize what I had done until I was proofreading it. The song actually means a lot to me though. Anyways, stay tuned for next week's chapter, and thank you!**


	10. DISCONTINUED

**I am very sorry to inform you that this story has been discontinued. My phone, where I keep most of my writing, broke, and I lost everything. I fell into a slump afterwards and lost the passion to write in general and no longer wanted to continue this story. Even before this happened, I was lost as to how I should write this story. My interests moved elsewhere (they sadly tend to do that). Thankfully, I just received a new phone and can continue working on writing when I come up with good ideas. I will not be very active on Fanfiction as I have recently received an invitation to Archive of Our Own (Ao3) and have an account set up there. I like Ao3 much more than Fanfiction and I recommend any writers (and readers, because the quality of the writing there is much better than it is here. I'm not saying there aren't any gems here, but it is much more professional there) here to join. If you wish to see some other stories, find me on Ao3 (I'm under the same username as I am here). Thank you for being my fans! I really appreciate all of the support you've given me and how you've stayed with me through thick and thin, even though I've disappointed you.**

 **Love forever,**

 **Sabrina (starsofcrystal)**


	11. ANNOUNCEMENT :D

***HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!*:** **A wonderful, amazing, absolutely fantabulous author by the name of Snodin is doing a remake of this story! Chapter 1 will be out soon, so please, PLEASE do check it out! Snodin is incredibly talented and she even has her own book out (see her profile for more details)! This story finally, FINALLY has a proper title! It's no longer The Switch, it has changed to A Beautiful Lie. I'll post an announcement here when she publishes the first chapter, but I strongly suggest you go follow her RIGHT NOW. Thank you! ^3^**

 **Love,**

 **Sabrina (starsofcrystal)**


	12. Guest review

To the guest who left this review: "So first you diss , and say that you're abandoning the story. Now you're all happy and you're back doing a rewrite? [Censored]"

Did you not even bother to read the announcement? **SNODIN** is doing the remake. **NOT ME**. I did abandon it. Snodin sent me a PM shortly after I posted the discontinued notice saying that she wished to continue it, and I gave her my permission. She simply liked the the story (or at least thought it was an interesting idea) enough to want to remake it. Be a little grateful! She is turning it into something wonderful that I know for a fact everyone will enjoy, including me.

I'm happy because I don't see quitting this story as a failure (at least, not too much of one), and I don't regret it. A pretty oppressive weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that I no longer have to constantly worry about my fans and how to write something I knew in my heart I couldn't continue (well, not without the speed and quality of the updates drastically reducing and me becoming utterly miserable). I can turn my focus elsewhere and continue writing happily now that this is no longer holding me back. I know it might be hard to understand (unless you are a writer as well), but please try to.

Please don't be rude. You make it sound like my depression over this story was fake and I can't be happy that someone as wonderful and talented as Snodin still appreciates my work and that I can finally move on. I thought the rewrite would make you guys happy as well.

I will continue to answer any guest reviews/questions and post them here. If you are not a guest, I'll PM you.

Sincerely,

Sabrina


	13. CHAPTER 1 IS UP!

***Good news everybody! Snodin completed chapter 1 of A Beautiful Lie sooner than expected and it's just as amazing as I knew it would be! It's up right now (don't forget, it's on her account and not mine!), so go read it, and don't forget to follow her!***

 **Lots of love,**

 **Sabrina**


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